Dial-A-Hearing Screening test allows area residents to check their hearing levels from home.Those interested may call 800-222-EARS between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Participants should call from

a corded phone and from a quiet room. Pencil and paper are needed. Those who don't hear all the tones

Hearing screenings are offered to children ages 3-18 years. Screenings are offered in schools, preschools, nurseries, day care centers and Head Start facilities. Early identification of hearing problems helps limit the negative impact on a child's education.

This service provides information on hearing loss, coping tips, speech reading lessons, sign language interpreting and classes for people experiencing any level of hearing loss. Bi-monthly newsletters, community education, information & referral regarding assistive devices for the deaf and for the hard-of-hearing, supportgroups and counseling, hearing screening, and ontological evaluations.

Statewide collaborative agency dedicated to improving the quality of life for persons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired through leadership in advocacy, education, and services. Services include

an assistive equipment distribution program (TTY/TDD units and hearing aids) for qualifying persons and

a loan program of assistive devices. Reconditioned equipment may beavailable at a low-cost yearly cost

Gives hearing aids to low-income adults and children who have documented hearing loss and who meet financial criteria. More than 78,000 hearing aids have been given out throughout the world. Clients pay

for evaluations and a fee of $60 per aid. Also recycles hearing aids!

HEARING HELP FOR MILITARY FAMILY MEMBERS

TRICARE covers hearing aids and services for active-duty family members diagnosed with "profound" hearing loss. Only active-duty family members who meet specific hearing-loss criteria are eligible for this benefit. To view their fact sheet on the hearing aid program, visit

Hard-of-hearing people regularly feel isolated from community and family life. Hearing aids help,

but they are often more trouble than they are worth--especially at public events where background

noise can be overwhelming and amplifiers may trigger excruciating feedback. Now, through, the

Hearing Loss Association of Ann Arbor is implementing asimple, inexpensive fix called "looping". Volunteers run a wire around a room, perhaps in a dropped ceiling or under a carpet, and attach

the two ends to an amplifier. Thereafter, whenever the PA system is used, people with hearing aids

or cochlear implants can switch to "I-coil mode" and tune in to what amounts to a private broadcast.

In a looped room, they may even be able to follow the proceedings better than those with normal hearing.

In Europe, airports, banks, and even cathedrals are all looped. Though looping costs just $300 to $400,

even many hard-of-hearing people don't know about it. To date, the HLA of Ann Arbor has wired just four sites, including conference rooms at the Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living and the Turner Senior Resource Center and the sanctuary of St.Barnabas Episcopal Church in Chelsea....the church already is attracting worshippers from as far away as Detroit.

Southpoint Community Christian Church

5699 Fort Street, Trenton MI 48183 (across from Southshore Hospital)

provides looping AND an interpreter at the 11:30 a.m. Sunday Services.

The U of M's Health system is making strides for the deaf community as one of a nearly a dozen hospitals nationwide--the first in Michigan-- to provide Sorenson videophones for its deaf patients and visitors.

The hospital's mobile videophones can be used in patient's rooms or in the emergency dept. The videophones consist of a remote to type in phone numbers and a Web camera-like device that's placed

atop a television or computer. It connects deaf patients and visitors to a nationwide network of American sign language interpreters who facilitate conversations for them with hearing individuals. The videophones can also be used to call another deaf person.

In 1988, the Lions Clubs International and LensCrafters Foundation teamed up to collect used eyeglasses and since then, Give the Gift of Sight has expanded into a family of vision programs that provides free eye care and glasses to those in need in our communities across the United States and Canada. Gift of Sight programs include eyeglass collection and recycling, Hometown Day, Sight Night, international missions

A public service foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AA0). Provides comprehensive eye exams and care for up to one year, often at no out-of-pocket expense to eligible callers through its Seniors and Diabetes EyeCare Programs. It's Glaucoma EyeCare Program provides a glaucoma eye exam. Open to Seniors 65 and older, U.S. Citizens, and must have not had an ophthalmologic (NOT optometrist) exam in the past 3 years and must have no HMO or Veterans Assistance.

NOTE: MEDICAID WILL NOW PAY FOR EYE EXAMS & GLASSES

Just notified that beginning October 1st, 2012, Medicaid will begin paying for one eye exam and one

pair of glasses (if needed) every 2 years. You MAY have a co-pay of 2.00. For information if you are on

full Medicaid, call 800-642-3195. If you are on one of the Health plans, call their Member Services number.

A non-profit United Way for Southeastern Michigan agency. Sliding scale available for vision services. BETTER LIVING EYE CARE PROGRAM Programs for Children: Special program (Wayne, Oakland and Macomb County Health Departments) for children who have failed their vision screening at a 50% fee reduction. NO CHARGE (for exam and glasses) IF FUNDING IS AVAILABLE! Also, eye coordination problems for children (crossed eyes or an eye that turns out) using office/home therapy. Amblyopia

(lazy eye) therapy for children.

If you have diabetes, MEDICARE will help pay for eye exams! Diabetic eye disease can affect anyone

with diabetes, it often has no symptoms or pain and if undetected, can cause severe vision loss or blindness.

Offers gift certificates for children 18 years and younger who have not graduated from H.S./have not used

the program in the past 12 months/a legal immigrant or U.S. Citizen, must have Social Security number/and family income no more than 200% of federal poverty level (generally this applies to students who qualify

for the free and reduced lunch program) & not enrolled in Medicaid and does not currently have vision insurance.

Provides financial support for eye surgery for people who are unable to pay or receive adequate

assistance from current government agencies or similar sources. Phone for EMERGENCY services

only. Must be a U.S. Citizen.

NEW!

This organization has a new program for Seniors age 65 and older who have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years may be eligible for a referral to a volunteer doctor by calling the help line at 800-

222-EYES. The year-round program matches callers with a doctor in their area that will provide a comprehensive medical eye examination and up to one year of care for any disease diagnosed during

the initial visit. Participating doctors have agreed to accept Medicare or other insurance as payment in full. Seniors without insurance can receive care at no cost.

Provision of specialized, in-home vision services at no-cost for visually impaired persons including

help in learning to function independently. Formerly Upshaw Institute for the Blind.

VISION CARE FOR LESS!

With AARP Vision Discounts provided by EyeMed, AARP members save on eye exams, up to 30% off prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses and up to 40% off Transitions adaptive lenses. You can present your AARP membership card at any LensCrafters, at most participating Pearle Vision, Sears Optical,

Target Optical and JCPenney Optical stores and to thousands of private practioners nationwide.

&

Your vision discount plan also includes 5% off promotional pricing and 15% off regular pricing

The Michigan Commission for the Blind refers to its Senior Blind Program as the Independent Living Program. The Independent Living (IL) Program is a federal-state partnership providing services to older blind individuals so they can be as independent in their daily lives as possible. Older blind individual means a person 55 years or older whose severe visual impairment makes competitive employment extremely difficult to attain but for whom goals related to more independent living are feasible.

Services include:

Information and referral

Rehabilitation teaching services

Orientation and mobility

Low-vision services

Adapted aids and appliances

Daily Living Skills

Leisure activities

Counseling

Braille and other communication methods

Peer support groups

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) will provide a free white cane to anyone who uses

or desires to use a long, white cane to help them navigate their environment with confidence

This library serves about 4,000 registered patrons and is one of the original 14 regional libraries

created by the Library of Congress in 1931 to serve people with visual and other physical disabilities.

Free use of specialized library services to Wayne County residents who are unable to read conventional printed material because of physical limitation. Partial list of services include Talking Books, large print books, music, and descriptive videos. Materials are mailed at no charge. It is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Also has Reader's Digest and Newsweek available on audio cassette for library patrons as

well as computer training for the disabled. Also a large variety for children!

The National Library Service maintains a collection of over 32,000 large-print and braille music scores,

texts, and instructional recordings on cassette about music and musicians. Large print music has a minimum of 14-point type and a one inch staff size. Musical scores, librettos, biographies of popular

and classical musicians and some reference works are included in the collection. Braille music transcriptions of classical and popular music are available as well as librettos and instructional method books. Web-braille makes many items available to braille readers. A complete list of Music Selection materials is available by visiting the web address above. Special equipment needed is loaned free too!

AND

BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) is another way to get books from the Braille and Talking Book Library. With BARD you can download talking books on demand and play them on your NLS

Digital Talking Book Player. Your BARD password will be sent to the email address you provide. You

will then have access to download over 32,000 Talking Books and magazines with new titles added

Visually-impaired students with access to the Internet on a Windows PC will be able to use the free Read:

OutLoud, Bookshare.org Edition text reader to access the more than thirty-six thousand electronic books, magazines and newspapers available in the Bookshare.org online library. This software tool was designed to serve elementary and secondary students who receive special education services and qualify for free reading materials under the 1996 Chafee Amendment to the Copyright Law. Membership to Bookshare.org is now free to all U.S. students with qualifying disabilities. A Macintosh version of the text reader was also introduced in 2009.